Possession
by TwilightPony21
Summary: "That's our girl," he would say to Sam.  Until the day...when she became his.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there! It's been a while! I've had a lot of Callen/Kensi ideas floating around in my head, but I just haven't had much time to write them down. So I'm going to attempt to do that now. I don't think this story will be nearly as long or as involved as my other ones...I guess you could call it more of a random collection of short, semi-related Callen/Kensi scenes. I hope you still like it, though, and please do leave a review if you have a minute. Thanks for reading!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

* * *

-I-

An old-fashioned clock sitting atop a Los Angeles skyscraper struck midnight as two figures hurried down a dark alley across the street. The city lights illuminated much of the area around them, but somehow they both managed to stay hidden in the shadows, their footsteps almost silent as they crept along the empty passage. At the end of the alley, they came upon a back door that didn't appear to have been used in some time. The male figure easily jimmied the lock and motioned inside.

"Where are we going?" the other figure, clearly female, asked worriedly. "Are you sure we should be here?"

"Of course," he whispered. "I've been here before. It's not a five-star hotel, but it's perfectly safe." He smiled reassuringly. "And it's empty, and quiet, and it's late at night..." He took a step inside, leading his girlfriend by the hand and closing the door behind them. "We're all alone, baby…what better way to celebrate our one month anniversary?"

"Mmmm, I like your style," she murmured. She gasped as he pulled her tightly against him, capturing her lips in a steamy kiss. His lips traveled down her neck, and she closed her eyes as he slowly, seductively kissed his way back up alongside her ear. His hands slipped under the hem of her blouse, brushing the silky skin underneath, and just as he was about to proceed with removing her clothes completely...

"Michael Cameron!"

"Wha—?" The lights in the room flashed just once, and Michael whirled around, momentarily blinded by the brightness. He recovered quickly, though, as the room receded into darkness again, and he moved in front of his girlfriend to protect her from the intruder. He whipped out a gun from his belt and pushed her further behind him. "Stay back, baby."

"Mr. Cameron, we got a little score to settle."

"Yeah? Who are you?"

"Somebody you don't want to mess with."

Michael heard his girlfriend scream as she saw the dark silhouette take a step forward in the shadows. Frightened, she stumbled backwards, and her second scream was muffled as she felt a hand clamp down over her mouth from behind. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms against her sides and yanking her out of Michael's reach.

"If you want to keep this pretty little thing alive, I'd recommend putting the gun down."

Michael spun around at the sound of a second voice, squinting to see his girlfriend's attacker in the dark. But he could only see her eyes wide with fear and the shiny barrel of a gun pressed hard against her throat.

"So Mr. Cameron," came the first voice impatiently. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. My buddy there has got your girl. What's it gonna be?"

Michael actually seemed to ponder the question for a moment. His fingers twitched nervously on the trigger of his weapon, and he glanced over at his girlfriend. An uneasy silence fell over the room, and time almost seemed to come to a standstill.

And then he turned and fled.

The second man released his grip on the girl and let out an exasperated sigh. "Told you he'd run," he grumbled.

"I know, I know, I hate when they run," the other voice said.

Both men turned to the girl. "You okay?" the one who had held her captive asked.

"Yeah," she muttered, dusting herself off. She looked down the corridor where Michael had disappeared. "Men always run," she said bitterly. "Especially on the special occasions."

He shrugged. "Would have thought you'd be used to it by now."

She glared at him. "You're real funny," she snapped.

"What's the occasion?" the other man asked.

"One month anniversary," she explained.

He grinned. "Guess that means you made it to a second date."

"Are you two finished?" the other one asked impatiently. "Could we get on with this?"

Both of them nodded in response.

"Let's do it."

* * *

Michael knew that the interior design of this particular building featured a complicated labyrinth of empty rooms and corridors. It was private and perfect for a romantic encounter with his girlfriend, but not quite as accommodating for an easy escape. Grateful that he was somewhat familiar with the layout, Michael darted in and out of the hallways in a zigzag pattern, running swiftly but silently, trying to keep his composure.

At last, he slowed his steps and leaned against a wall to catch his breath. Thinking that he had put enough distance between himself and these two strange men, he wiped the sweat from his brow and gulped a fresh supply of oxygen into his burning lungs.

He didn't know who they were or what they wanted. He somewhat regretted leaving his girlfriend in their hands, but he quickly brushed off the feeling. She was probably as good as dead...those men didn't look like they would leave any loose ends. And after all, her death had been his ultimate goal anyway.

Michael couldn't help but let out a low, evil laugh at that thought. But the laugh immediately died in his throat when he heard a gun cock behind him and a soft, sinister voice in his ear. "Drop your weapon."

Michael froze. He could feel his heart pounding as the gun just barely grazed the back of his neck. He took a deep breath, spun around, and forcefully struck the weapon with the heel of his hand. The redirection of his assailant's aim gave him just enough time to flee down the corridor, barely a split second ahead of the bullets that were fired after him.

He cringed as a shot ricocheted off the wall above his head, and he could hear the furious footsteps in pursuit. Quickly, he turned his head to glance behind him, and in that fleeting moment of distraction, the second man launched himself out of a side corridor, tackling Michael to the ground.

"Stay down! Don't move!"

Michael groaned as he fell hard on his side, and he felt his arms pinned tightly against the floor. But he was not about to surrender without a fight. Gritting his teeth, he flipped himself over and lunged for his attacker's throat. He received a fist to the jaw in return, and with a burst of adrenaline from the pain, he landed a satisfying punch to the other man's stomach.

But just as that man faltered slightly, the other one stepped in. Michael was already breathing heavily with exertion, and he could taste the blood on his split, swollen lip. Two against one was almost certainly a lost battle. As he was violently wrestled to the ground, Michael realized that these two men were skilled fighters. They were extremely sharp and completely in sync with each other. They worked together sort of like...

"Cops!" he hissed under his breath.

"We're not cops," came the gruff response.

"Oh, yeah?" Michael challenged. "Then who are you?"

The bigger, more muscled figure twisted Michael's arms behind his back, causing him to yelp in pain. "Special Agent Hanna."

The other man let one more stinging punch connect squarely with Michael's jaw before he answered. "Special Agent Callen."

Michael shrugged and pretended to yawn, trying not to wince at the sharp throbbing in his mouth. "Not impressed," he said.

"Yeah? How's this for impressive?"

The two men roughly hauled him to his feet again and spun him around to meet a third figure. As he stared down the barrel of a gun wielded by his girlfriend, Michael could not contain his surprise. "Baby—" he whispered.

"Special Agent Blye," she spat. "NCIS. Get down on the ground and don't move."

"You set me up," he said accusingly.

"Yeah, we did...you got a problem with that?"

Michael started to lean forward, as if to drop to his knees, but then his lips curved into a wicked grin. With a mighty roar of anger and frustration, he wrenched his arms free and delivered a nasty elbow strike to both Sam and Callen's faces. He yanked his gun from its holster, aiming it directly at Callen's head.

But he never had the chance to fire.

A rapid round of bullets slammed into Michael's heart, and he fell backwards, convulsing violently and sputtering in agony, as thick pools of his blood spilled onto the floor. His face turned ghostly pale, his eyes glazed over, and with one last choking breath, his body finally became still. A narrow stream of blood trickled out from the corner of his mouth.

Callen saw the hot smoke sizzling from Kensi's weapon, and his eyes met hers in silent thanks. There was something about the way he looked at her in that moment, and Kensi could feel herself uncharacteristically blushing under his gaze. She quickly turned away and knelt to examine the lifeless body. She laid her fingers against Michael's neck to check his pulse and almost involuntarily shuddered.

"One more down," she said.

"And who knows how many left," Callen muttered.

"Ringleader's not gonna be happy when he finds out his right hand man is dead." Sam looked down at the bloody body of Michael Cameron. "Thought he was gonna take you out, G," he admitted. Then he grinned at Kensi. "Luckily his 'girlfriend' had a little anniversary surprise for him."

"Bullet through the heart." Callen smiled and nodded at Kensi approvingly. "That's our girl."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to everybody for reading and reviewing the first chapter – and also for adding to favorites and alerts! Really appreciate it. :) There is a little bit of plot introduced at the end of this next chapter, and I think it will be sort of the underlying connection for all of these Callen/Kensi scenes. I'm still not entirely sure where this story is going, though, so please let me know what you think. Thanks again!**

* * *

-II-

"You gonna shoot, or what?"

Standing several feet from the recycling bin, poised with a crumpled wad of paper in his hand, Callen gave his partner a nasty look. "Sam, this shot takes a certain amount of skill...I'm concentrating."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Concentrate faster."

Unfortunately, at that moment Callen lost all concentration as Kensi walked right through his line of trajectory. He felt the soft satin of her sleek, black dress brush against his arm, and the scent of her perfume almost made him dizzy.

She made her way to her desk, and Callen's eyes could not help but follow her. He watched as she quickly ran a brush through her hair, his gaze lingering on the silky waves that fell around her shoulders. He briefly wondered what it would be like to run his fingers through her tresses, and he violently shook his head to escape such unprofessional thoughts.

Sam noticed Kensi, too, and he let out a low whistle. "Got a hot date tonight?"

Kensi blushed. "Maybe," she said.

"What's his name?" Callen asked, suddenly feeling a sharp stab of jealousy in his chest.

"I'm not telling you," Kensi replied, opening a little compact mirror to examine her appearance. She brushed a loose tendril of hair out of her eyes and checked her makeup.

"What's this one?" Sam asked. "Car mechanic?"

"Not really any of your business," Kensi informed him.

"Chinese food delivery man," Callen guessed.

Kensi sighed. "If you must know, he's an insurance agent."

"An insurance agent?" Callen repeated. "So he's trying to sell you something?"

"As someone whose job requires putting herself in danger every day of the week, additional insurance coverage can provide extensive protection and reduce the risk of loss," Kensi retorted.

Both Sam and Callen blinked in surprise.

"You hear that on one of those late night infomercials?" Sam asked teasingly.

Kensi rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys, give me a break."

"Just looking out for a friend," Sam replied innocently.

"Now why don't I believe that?" Kensi shot back in a false syrupy sweet voice.

"Yeah, actually we're looking out for the poor guy you're dating," Callen said. "Does he know he's putting himself in extreme danger by dating you?"

Kensi glared at him. She closed the mirror with a snap and stood up and smoothed her dress. The neckline dipped low, and the smooth black satin hugged her curves, and as Callen's eyes raked over her, he could feel his mouth going dry. He quickly tore his eyes away from her and suddenly became extremely interested in the wad of paper in his hand.

"How do I look?" Kensi asked, wondering if she was going to regret the answer to this question.

"Hot," Sam said approvingly.

Kensi flashed him a dazzling smile. She turned to Callen, but he seemed to be preoccupied with aiming his paper basketball at the recycling bin again.

"Callen?"

"What?"

"How do I look?" Kensi asked.

"Oh. You look fine."

Kensi's face fell slightly, and Sam shot his partner a surprised glance. But Callen kept his eyes focused on his target, continuing to ignore his present company.

"Well, good night, guys," Kensi said softly. She turned away and headed for the door.

Sam could hear the disappointment in her voice. He knew that she had wanted Callen's approval, and as soon as she had left, he angrily punched his partner in the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You couldn't have given Kensi one little compliment?"

"I told her she looks fine," Callen said defensively. "I'm sure her new guy will love it."

"But...?" Sam drawled out the word, trying to prompt his partner. He knew there was something else behind that statement.

"But she'll give him one date and then what? She'll cancel the second date and every date after that, just like she always does."

"Well, maybe she's just been waiting for the right guy to come along. Maybe this is the one."

Callen looked at him skeptically. "Now why do I doubt that?" He fired the wad of paper at the recycling bin, and it swished through the hoop with nothing but net. Callen turned around and gave Sam a satisfied smirk.

As his partner walked off, Sam watched him go. And then in a soft voice that Callen could not hear, he murmured, "Maybe she's waiting for you."

* * *

Kensi stood outside the small French restaurant, still feeling slightly hurt by Callen's brush off. She tried to convince herself that it was just Callen's normal attitude towards her, and she certainly didn't need his fashion approval. But the sad feeling in the pit of her stomach told her otherwise.

_What's wrong with me?, _she scolded herself. This wasn't like her at all.

Completely distracted by her thoughts, Kensi was startled by the heavy hand on her shoulder.

Without thinking, she grabbed the hand and twisted hard. She heard the man's surprised cry of pain, and she ducked backwards underneath his arm, throwing him off balance and launching him over her shoulder. A loud thud shook the earth as he made impact with the concrete sidewalk, and Kensi found herself staring down at a handsome young man in a black suit. His dark brown eyes were very familiar, and he was clean-shaven and had been sporting an exquisitely groomed appearance until Kensi had slammed him into the ground.

"David?" she exclaimed.

"Kensi," he groaned. "Haven't lost your touch, I see."

She immediately regretted her automatic violent reaction. A few people on the street gave them some funny looks, and Kensi quickly held out her hand to help him to his feet.

"Sorry," she said apologetically. "Um, how are you?"

"Well, I was fine until my unexpected rendezvous with the sidewalk."

Kensi gave him a sheepish smile.

"It's okay," he said, smiling back at her as he carefully dusted himself off. "Just confirms what I came here to ask you."

Kensi looked up at him questioningly.

"Come on," David said, opening the restaurant door for her. "I'll tell you about it over dinner."


	3. Chapter 3

**Shorter chapter this time...but a very important one! Next chapter should be longer, although it still needs a bit of revising. Thanks again for reading. Hope you like this chapter!**

* * *

-III-

Kensi shifted slightly to ease the circulation in her legs. She couldn't stretch very far, but she figured that any movement would help at this point. She had been squashed into a dark, cramped corner behind a concrete wall for quite some time now. The space was hot and stuffy, and she could feel salty beads of sweat trickling down her face and running onto her bulletproof vest.

Sometimes the life of an undercover NCIS agent just wasn't all that glamorous. Kensi sighed and leaned her head back against the wall for just a moment.

"You sure you're up for this?" came the voice next to her. "You look a little tired…had a lot of late nights this week?"

Kensi snapped back upright and glared at him angrily. "Callen, I'm really not in the mood."

"But you obviously were last night." He didn't even have to turn around. Kensi could easily imagine the smirk on his face.

"Callen!" she hissed. "My love life is none of your business."

He shrugged and peeked around the corner. "Sam, what do we got?"

"At least twenty," came Sam's voice in his ear. "All armed. In position. On your signal."

Callen looked back at Kensi, and she nodded.

"Let's go! Move in!"

"NCIS! Federal agents!"

The legion of NCIS agents that spilled into the warehouse took their targets completely by surprise. There was chaos and confusion as the group of people scattered in all directions, and massive gunfire broke out on both sides.

Kensi hoisted her weapon to eye level and fired a round of bullets across the room. She nodded in satisfaction as she took out three of the armed men coming at her in a line. Her shots violently riddled their bodies, and Kensi heard their weapons clatter against the floor as they crumpled to the ground.

She saw the next one sneak up on her out of the corner of her eye. She whirled around to shoot, but she was just a split second too slow, and she felt Callen's body slam into hers, knocking her out of the line of fire.

As they dove for cover, Kensi suddenly found herself wedged between the cold concrete wall again – and Callen. This time his body was almost flush against hers, so close she could feel him breathe, and despite the situation, Kensi could not help but feel a warm flush spreading through her body.

"You tell your insurance agent what you do for a living?" he whispered in her ear. His voice was low, tickling her ear, and she could have sworn that her heart skipped a beat.

"Yeah, I tell everyone that I get shot at on a daily basis," she retorted sarcastically, feeling slightly unnerved by the physical effect he was having on her. "Makes a real good conversation starter."

Kensi cringed as she heard a loud spray of bullets explode on the ceiling above them, shattering glass windows, smashing against a couple of wooden beams, and sending everything up in flames.

Callen looked up at the charred remains. "How much insurance you think we're talking here?" he asked cheekily.

"Well, if you get us killed, we won't be around to find out!" she snapped.

"Ouch, Kenz, that was harsh."

"What is your problem?" Kensi demanded. It obviously wasn't the best time for a confrontation, but Kensi could not take it anymore. She was almost trembling, and it was definitely more from arguing with Callen than from the raging gunfire around them.

"My problem?" He scoffed and peeked out from behind the wall to evaluate their situation. He saw two more men advancing towards them, and without hesitation, Callen fired his weapon with deadly accuracy. Both men were struck squarely in the heart, and they fell to the ground.

"Yeah, for some reason, you can't seem to get over the idea that some _normal _guy would actually want to go out with me."

"I don't know, Kenz. Maybe he's crazy."

"You mean like you?"

As another round of gunfire screamed over their heads, Callen spun Kensi around and crushed his lips to hers.

"Just like me," he whispered.

His unexpected kiss left her completely breathless. She wanted to say something, or shoot something, run away, do anything…but she couldn't move. It was as if time had stopped. As his beautiful blue eyes locked on hers and his fingers reached up to touch her cheek, Kensi could feel her knees turning to jelly.

Suddenly, the gunfire seemed miles away.

Until a sharp yell rang out across the room.

"Freeze! This is the FBI!"


	4. Chapter 4

**So this story is turning out to have a little bit more plot than I thought it would. This chapter actually started as the Callen/Kensi scene at the end and somehow turned into this. Hope you like it! Thanks again for reading, reviewing, and adding to alerts/favorites!**

* * *

-IV-

A few hours later, NCIS Special Agents Callen and Hanna found themselves in their boathouse, staring across the table at FBI Special Agent David Franklin.

"She told us you were an insurance agent," Sam said, looking their guest up and down critically.

David shrugged. "What can I say? Insurance...FBI...close enough."

"Yeah, both annoying and arrogant," Callen muttered. "What was that stunt you guys pulled today?"

David swallowed a little uncomfortably. "We've been tracking a ring of serial killers. We received intel on their location, and we thought we could break up the party—"

"And blow our operation in the process," Sam interrupted. "NCIS had everything under control."

"The FBI has been tracking this case for months," David explained. "We needed to follow through, and as it turns out, we still have a serial killer on the loose."

"Well, maybe he wouldn't have gotten away if you had told us you were coming," Callen argued.

David took a deep breath. "These serial killers," he said, laying a file out in front of Sam and Callen, "have been targeting women all over the country. I understand you guys are already familiar with Michael Cameron?"

He looked at them expectantly but didn't receive a response. He continued anyway. "Well, Michael Cameron was only a small part of it. We want the ringleader." He opened the file to a mug shot of a dark, gruff, angry-looking man. "Stephen Jansen. He's the mastermind behind it. He's put together a whole team of men to seduce these women. And they're good…they'll do anything to possess the woman's heart. Until they decide that the ultimate act of possession is murder."

"We know," Sam said seriously. "They found a female Navy officer dead here in L.A. Stabbed repeatedly through the heart. Friend said she had just started seeing a new guy, and that's what alerted us to Cameron."

David nodded. "They've killed seventeen other women all over the country in the same way. That's what alerted the FBI. We bring down Jansen, we bring down the whole team. We thought we could finally bust him today, but he escaped this morning's shootout."

"So the FBI is back to square one," Callen said bitterly.

David eyed him suspiciously, as if he weren't quite sure what to make of Callen's tone of voice. "No, we're close," he insisted. "Cameron was Jansen's right hand man…his death must have been a major blow to his operation. Agent Callen, on behalf of the FBI, we'd like to request that Agent Blye—"

"No." Callen didn't even let him finish his sentence.

"We want to stage her in an undercover operation—"

"No."

"Agent Callen, she's completely familiar with working undercover in these kinds of situations. You're the one who sent her in to catch Michael Cameron. If she could do the same to Jansen...get close to him, find out his next move, distract him long enough for us to make the arrest..."

"She's not available," Callen said firmly.

"She's already agreed to it."

Now Callen looked up, surprised. "When?"

"When she met me for dinner the other night."

Callen felt his heart sink into his stomach, and he exchanged a worried look with Sam.

"If she could just help the FBI—"

"Agent Blye belongs to us," Callen spat. "You understand?"

David met Callen's eyes coolly. "You speak as if you own her, Agent Callen."

Anger was suddenly coursing through Callen's veins, and he stood up abruptly, kicking his chair out of the way. He wasn't entirely sure what he would have done if Sam hadn't laid a hand on his chest and pushed him backwards.

"What's your problem, G?" Sam hissed.

Callen shot a deadly glare in David's direction. "Nothing," he replied.

"Then we're agreed?" David asked. "Agent Blye will help on the case."

Callen hesitated for a moment. "Yeah," he finally said. "We're agreed."

"Excellent. I'll brief her tonight, and we'll leave promptly tomorrow morning."

"Leave?" Callen repeated.

"This case is under FBI jurisdiction now," David proclaimed. "We'll keep NCIS in the loop only if necessary."

Sam quickly put his arm out in front of Callen again, but it didn't work this time. With an icy cold glare in his eyes, Callen pushed past his partner, striding angrily towards the door.

"G, where you going?" Sam called.

"To shoot someone."

David looked over at Sam worriedly.

Sam shrugged. "He's never really been a big fan of the FBI."

* * *

Hetty quietly let herself into the NCIS firing range to find Callen shooting off a round of bullets as fast as he could snap his fingers on the trigger. She didn't even have to announce her presence. He knew she was there, and he reluctantly stopped shooting, letting the last bullet echo in the air.

"Mr. Callen." It was her warning voice.

He fired another few shots just for good measure and then turned to the little lady, breathing hard from a combination of anger, annoyance, and simply the physical exertion of shooting. "Just taking out some aggression, Hetty," he explained.

Hetty raised a suspicious eyebrow as she examined the paper target. She noticed the cluster of shots accurately centered on the forehead and the heart and also the remaining shots that completely decimated the rest of the human outline.

"Aggression is one thing," she informed him. "Total annihilation is another. I can assure you that I would not be standing here with you right now...if my name were David Franklin."

Callen knew that was her subtle way of getting under his skin. He didn't reply but gave her an annoyed look.

"Callen." Hetty now spoke in her gentle, all-knowing voice. "She'll be fine."

She saw an angry fire flash through Callen's eyes. "Franklin thinks he can just waltz in here and take my agent," he muttered.

"_Your_ agent?" Hetty asked in surprise. "You don't approve of this operation, Mr. Callen? You understand that this may be a necessity to catch a serial killer."

Callen sighed in frustration. "I know."

"You just wish Kensi weren't the bait," Hetty said quietly. She took a deep breath. "Callen, as Agent Franklin pointed out, you already sent her undercover to catch Michael Cameron. And Mr. Cameron is the one who wound up dead."

"That was different," Callen protested. "Sam and I had her back the whole time."

"I see." Hetty nodded thoughtfully. "And this time the entire FBI will have her back…is that the difference?"

Callen was silent for a moment. And then he shook his head, almost as if he had just realized something. "Hetty, I—"

The little lady held up her hand. "Don't tell me, Mr. Callen," she said gently. "Tell her."

* * *

Late that night, Callen found Kensi sound asleep at her desk. He knew that she and David had spent hours in the boathouse that evening, reviewing the case together, and apparently Kensi had returned to headquarters to continue with her own research after that.

But now her laptop screen was black, indicating that she hadn't touched it in some time. Her head rested on her arms, which rested on top of a stack of file folders, and her silky brown hair lay draped over a large stack of paper. There was so much paper spread out over her desk that it covered half of his desk as well. As she slept peacefully in the midst of such a mess, Callen couldn't help but smile and take a moment to admire her beauty...it was what tied his stomach in knots every time he laid eyes on her.

Finally, he took the chance of waking her. "Kenz." He shook her gently.

She jumped but immediately relaxed when she saw it was him. "Callen," she said groggily. She looked down at the massive mountain of paperwork on her desk. "I was just…reading," she explained.

"Kenz, let me take you home," he offered softly.

"No, I'm fine," she insisted. She rubbed a hand over her tired eyes and quickly shuffled some papers into a pile.

He didn't respond but instead pulled her hand away from the paper and motioned towards the couch.

"Callen, I—I can't," she protested.

"Five minutes," he said.

Kensi sighed but found that she was too tired to argue. Wearily, she nodded and allowed him to lead her over to the couch. As she sank down into the cushions, she felt her eyelids growing heavy. "Just five minutes," she whispered.

She closed her eyes and within a minute or two, her breathing slowed, and Callen knew she was asleep again. And yet he continued to stand watch over her. He felt like he was frozen, completely mesmerized by the woman who lay in the very spot that he often called a bed. Somehow the thought of Kensi in his bed sent a warm thrill racing through him, and he swallowed hard.

Just then, someone softly cleared their throat behind him, and Callen turned to see Hetty also gazing fondly at Kensi.

"Stay with her tonight," Hetty whispered.

Callen nodded.

And so he stayed to keep watch over Kensi that night. Gently, he spread a blanket on top of her, pulling it up over her shoulders and tucking it under her chin. She snuggled in deeper, and Callen smiled as he settled down in the chair next to the couch. Satisfied that she would be safe by his side, he drifted off into a restless sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks so much for reading! I really hope you like this Callen/Kensi scene.**

* * *

-V-

The next morning, Kensi was packing up a few belongings in the boathouse. Even though the FBI had taken over this investigation, Hetty had of course provided an entire wardrobe for the undercover assignment, so Kensi was trying hard not to wrinkle any of the clothes. As she neatly folded a couple of outfits, she sighed heavily. Once again, she would be taking on a new identity to lure out a serial killer – a dangerous man whose idea of love involved a twisted game of seduction and death.

Kensi felt a chill run down her spine.

Thinking about this case made her shudder.

But for some reason, thinking about this case also made her think about Callen.

Almost subconsciously, she touched a finger to her lips. She could still feel the electricity from his kiss, and all last night, instead of his usual catnap routine, she knew he had stayed by her side. But he had disappeared early this morning, and she hadn't seen him since.

Just then, the door opened, and Kensi felt a small twinge of hope.

She could barely hide her disappointment as David walked into the boathouse. "You ready?" he asked.

Kensi looked down at her bag. "Almost."

David patiently sat down on the couch to wait. "So it looks like I'm gonna be in California for a while," he said.

Kensi nodded. "It'll take some time to get close to Jansen."

But apparently David wasn't talking about the case. "We tried that little French place the other night," he continued. "Maybe you could, uh, recommend some other good restaurants nearby?"

It suddenly occurred to Kensi what he was asking. "I think room service is probably your best bet," she replied bluntly.

David waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

She glared at him. "In your _own_ hotel room."

"Okay, okay, I get it," he said. "You're not interested anymore."

Suddenly, there was a devilish gleam in his eye. "So what's the story with you and Callen?" he asked with a knowing grin.

Kensi froze. "Nothing," she said quickly.

David shook his head. "No, there's more to it than that. You involved with him?"

"No." She ignored the funny flutter in her stomach.

"He seems to favor you."

Kensi whirled around angrily. "He just wants to make sure you don't get me killed!" She growled in frustration. "David, wait in the car!"

He stood up with a smug expression on his face, obviously amused by her outburst. As he walked past her, he stopped and whispered in her ear, "I'll keep you safe, Kensi..."

She narrowed her eyes warningly, and he backed away, holding his hands up in defense. "Okay, I'll be in the car."

"Who is he?"

Kensi heard the voice in the shadows behind her, and she closed her eyes, silently willing Callen to leave her alone. But she knew he wouldn't.

"An old friend," she finally said.

"Yeah, he looked pretty friendly."

"Callen, it's really none of your business," Kensi pleaded.

"He's about to walk out of here with one of my agents...that is my business."

"I dated him a long time ago," she said. "We split when he joined the FBI."

"So now you're just gonna callously abandon us and join the FBI, too?"

"What? No. Callen—" Kensi stopped, completely flustered by his accusation.

Callen could see the hurt and confusion in her eyes, and he felt a sharp pang in his heart. He hadn't meant for those words to come out of his mouth, but there were so many words pounding inside his head right now that he felt like he had no control over his tongue. How could he tell her that he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and never let go? _What am I doing?_, he thought. _What is she doing to me?_ It was like she brought out a possessive streak in him that he didn't know he had. Why couldn't he just let her go?

_Because she belongs here_, he reasoned. _With NCIS. Because she's our girl. _His heart hammered against his chest as he realized..._because she's mine_.

Without thinking any further, he grabbed Kensi's hand and yanked her backwards.

"Callen, what the—"

She was cut off by his lips crashing down on hers, wildly hot and passionate. When he slammed her backwards against the door, Kensi felt something explode inside of her, and she hungrily kissed him back. His fingers tangled in her hair, and his body pressed hard against hers, as his lips ravaged her mouth, and Kensi could feel her entire body go completely weak as she melted in his arms.

When they finally broke apart, both of them breathless, Callen's eyes met hers, flashing with desire.

"I'm sorry—"

She immediately silenced him with another kiss. "Don't," she whispered. "Don't apologize. Just say you'll let the FBI do their job on this one…so I can come home."

"Kensi..." His voice was suddenly so soft that she almost didn't hear him. His lips brushed against hers again, soft and sweet this time, and then against her cheek, and down her neck.

She closed her eyes at the sensation of his kiss, and it took all of her self-control not to break down right then and there. Her mind suddenly filled with fantasies of what it would be like to have Callen take her on the couch in the boathouse. Her heart beat faster at the thought of hot, steamy kisses, sweat-slickened skin, his hands against her hips, and their bodies intimately connected, moving in perfect unison to send each other over the edge.

And from the look in his eyes, Callen was imagining the exact same scenario. "You should go," he whispered, clearly struggling to resist the temptation in front of him. "He's waiting for you."

Kensi nodded and quietly turned away from him. She had only taken a couple of steps towards the door when she heard his voice.

"Call if you need backup?"

She turned around and smiled. "Of course."

And then she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again! This next chapter is a little bit of a filler chapter, but I still think it's important because it sets up the ending. I hope you like it, and as always, thank you for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

-VI-

The California afternoon sun was bright and warm on the beach that day. There was a soft ocean breeze rustling the palm trees, the seagulls soared overhead, and the waves lapped gently against the shore. Slightly off to the side, close to one of the piers, a man and a woman sat on a blanket on the sand with a picnic basket. A few people strolled along the path behind them, others jogging or biking, some resting on the benches nearby. On one of the benches, a man sat reading his newspaper and enjoying the sunshine.

And then there was the sleek silver metallic car parked on the road leading up to the pier.

"Thought you promised Kensi you wouldn't interfere."

"I'm not interfering."

"You're tailing her again."

"You and I have a very different idea of what interfering means."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Where's Franklin?"

"Over there, on the bench. Reading the newspaper."

"Kensi?"

"With Jansen, near the pier." Callen squinted to get a better look. "Looks like he brought her...lunch?"

Over on the beach, Kensi was almost as shocked as Callen. "A picnic lunch?" she asked.

"For my beautiful lady," Stephen Jansen said.

Kensi stared in amazement as he laid out the food. A romantic walk on the beach followed by a gourmet lunch. _He really knows __how to turn on the charm__,_ she thought bitterly.

As if that weren't enough, Jansen took her hand and gently pressed his lips into her palm. "You are too beautiful," he whispered. "Now why would such a beautiful woman give a guy like me a chance?"

Kensi blushed. "I like the rugged look on men," she explained.

"Oh, I see." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, burying his face in her hair and inhaling deeply. "You are amazing," he murmured. "You make me crazy." He gently nuzzled her neck and then moved his lips further up to nibble her ear.

"We could...skip lunch," he suggested.

"We could," Kensi agreed, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. "And I think we're going to have to. I really need to get back to work."

"So soon?" he asked in surprise. His face fell in disappointment. "The store keeps you on the clock, I suppose."

"I'm sorry," she said sweetly. She stood up from the sand and offered her hand to him.

He sighed, as she pulled him upright. "Dinner tonight? After you get off work?" he asked hopefully. "And maybe some...uh, dessert afterwards?"

Kensi smiled. "Sure."

He leaned forward again and kissed her cheek. "We'll go someplace very special," he whispered. "It'll be a surprise. Seven o'clock?"

"Sounds great," she said softly.

He smiled back at her, and it was only as Kensi turned to leave that she caught a glimpse of the evil sparkle in his eye.

* * *

"He's gonna make his move tonight," Kensi declared.

"What? Already?" David looked at her doubtfully. "Are you sure about that?"

Kensi nodded. It was early evening now, and she and David were on their way back to the FBI branch office.

After spending only a few days posing as a cashier in a convenience store frequented by Stephen Jansen, Kensi had immediately caught his eye. As expected, he had taken an instant interest in the young, beautiful, seemingly innocent brunette, and they had been dating for a few weeks now. Kensi had simply been waiting for the sign that she knew well.

"Yeah, you were there…you heard him. He asked me out to dinner and wants 'dessert' afterwards. This is it."

"You work fast, Agent Blye," David teased.

"It's not me," she said defensively. "These men work fast. Cameron barely waited a month...Jansen is waiting even less. Dinner and an invitation to spend the night…that's the way they operate."

David nodded. "Okay. The director will want to be briefed first."

"I'll meet you in the conference room."

Kensi and David stepped off the elevator into the FBI branch office. Even now, Kensi still looked around in wonder, as the sheer size of this office and its modern architecture never ceased to amaze her. In addition to the elegant, oversize conference room, the individual offices were massive, encased in glass window walls with contemporary furniture and spotless tile floors. People in formal business attire hurried back and forth through the hallways. It was an entirely different world than the casual, old-style hacienda that she called home.

Pushing her comparison between NCIS and the FBI to the back of her mind, Kensi quickly changed into a short, tight, sexy black dress for dinner. It was low-cut and sleeveless, showing off plenty of curves and skin. It was also slightly wrinkled, but she smoothed it out as best she could.

"Sorry, Hetty," she said to the mirror in the bathroom. She didn't think it would make a difference to Jansen.

"Wow." David's jaw dropped as she entered the conference room.

Kensi put a finger on his chin and closed his mouth. "Stop staring, Special Agent."

"You look fantastic," he said in awe.

"Yeah, I look ready for a date with a serial killer," Kensi muttered. "This is what my love life has come down to."

Kensi dug through her bag to find a few accessories to go with her dress. She added some dangly gold earrings and slipped a ring of rainbow colors around her wrist.

David looked at her oddly. "What are those?"

Kensi smiled and shook the jelly bracelets on her wrist. "They're for good luck," she explained. "Because we're gonna need it."

"I hope that's affirmation that you're planning to bring Jansen in tonight."

Kensi whirled around. "Director," she greeted the image on the conference room screen.

"Agent Blye," he said in response. "So you think Jansen is going to make his move tonight?"

"Yes, sir," she said. "When these men say spend the night, they mean spend forever. He wants to move in for the kill."

"Do you know where he's taking you?"

"I'm guessing the usual…fancy restaurant, dark abandoned building?"

"Franklin?"

"We're ready to go, sir," David said.

"You two make sure you pull out all the stops tonight. Do whatever is necessary. Ensure that Jansen _does not escape again_...is that understood?"

With those final words, the director's communication feed went blank.

David looked over at Kensi. "You heard the man," he said, trying to sound encouraging. "My team and I will be tagging along tonight. There's no way you're going in there alone."

Kensi nodded and reached for her phone.

"Who are you calling?" David asked.

She turned to him with a fiery look in her eye. "You're gonna need some backup."


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm surprised to say that I had quite a bit of time to write over the past few days, so this chapter is finished much earlier than expected! Only a couple more chapters to go after this one. Thank you all so much for reading, and please do leave a review!**

* * *

-VII-

Brakes screeched and tires squealed, kicking up huge clouds of dust, as squadrons of FBI and NCIS vehicles pulled up to the abandoned building at the same time. There was a flurry of agents adjusting bulletproof vests, loading guns, and hurrying into strategic positions surrounding the building.

"How'd you get here so fast?" David hissed.

"Took a shortcut," Sam said.

"Jansen's already got Kensi inside...so we go in hard and fast."

"No, we don't," Callen argued.

David shot him a nasty look. "What do you mean 'no, we don't'?"

"G's right," Sam said. "We can't just storm the place. He'll kill her."

"So what does NCIS suggest we do?" David asked, obviously irritated.

"Eric, how are we getting in?" Callen said.

"There's a door on the far side," came the voice in his earpiece. "It leads downstairs into the main hallway. Can't tell where to go from there, though."

Callen looked at Sam. He didn't even have to say anything. The two partners knew without words that Callen was going in alone.

"On my signal," Callen said.

Sam nodded in silent understanding.

As Callen headed for the building, David turned to Sam in shock.

"What is he doing?" David demanded.

"Going after his girl."

* * *

Inside the building, Kensi found herself gasping for breath as she struggled against several big, burly men. She had managed to do some decent damage to her attackers, but eventually, their strength and numbers had won out. Now they had her pinned down, their rough grip bruising her arms, as they forced her to her knees on the cold, concrete floor. They wrenched her arms behind her back and bound her hands and feet, rendering her helpless as Stephen Jansen knelt down in front of her.

"I apologize for the ropes," he said. "Believe me when I say I didn't want to tie you up. But you're a feisty one." He winked at her. "Had to restrain you somehow."

He brushed a sweaty, tangled strand of hair away from her face. "It doesn't matter," he whispered in her ear. "In a few minutes, you won't struggle any longer. And I will possess both your body and your heart."

Kensi's jaw tightened and fury flashed through her eyes. "Give me your gun, and I'll blow your heart out of your body," she growled.

Jansen laughed wickedly. "I don't think you're in any position to put a bullet through my heart, my love."

"Yeah? I didn't have any problem putting one through Cameron."

Jansen froze. His eyes widened in sudden realization. "You were Cameron's girl," he said slowly. He stood up and backed away, studying her face carefully. "He was supposed to have slit your throat."

Kensi scoffed. "Guess he failed."

For some reason, her words struck a nerve inside Jansen. Suddenly seething with anger, he slapped her hard, and Kensi flinched at the sting in her jaw.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

Kensi remained silent, and she was rewarded with another nasty blow to her face.

"Don't make me ask again," Jansen threatened.

"Go to hell," she spat.

"I'd do what the lady says."

Jansen spun around as he heard a voice from the stairs above and found himself staring down the barrel of Callen's gun. He didn't even have a chance to blink before he saw the red blast of fire, and he leapt out of the way, knocking Kensi to the ground.

Callen's bullet ricocheted off the wall, and Jansen quickly hauled Kensi to her feet and turned to his crew members. "Give her to me…you take care of him!"

The men scattered as Callen's next round of bullets came in rapid succession, firing in almost a blind rage. Jansen narrowly escaped a shot aimed directly at his skull, just managing to slip out the door and drag Kensi with him.

Callen hit the ground as several members of Jansen's crew fired back. The barrage of bullets screamed over his head, and pieces of the wall and the ceiling came crashing down, pelting him hard. He could hear men shouting and heavy footsteps rushing up the stairs.

"Over here!" he heard one of them yell.

Sliding across the floor, Callen lunged for his weapon, rolling over and firing multiple shots from the ground. Two of the men fell backwards, tumbling down the stairs, as others jumped to the side to avoid them. Callen could hear more shouting from the next room, and he scrambled to his feet and raced down the corridor.

"Sam!"

Sam heard Callen's voice in his ear, and he stood up and shouted to the agents under his command.

"Let's go! Come on! Move in!"

"NCIS!"

"FBI!"

Agents from both teams stormed the building, taking Jansen's crew by surprise. Heavy gunfire rang out through the hallways, as NCIS and the FBI covered each other's backs. David and his team sealed off the exits and secured the scene, slapping handcuffs on survivors, as Sam barreled through the chaos in pursuit of his teammates.

Tonight the FBI sought to bring down their elusive serial killer...but it was NCIS that sought to finally bring their girl home.

* * *

As Jansen dragged her down the corridor, Kensi struggled against him every step of the way. She dug her feet into the ground, trying to resist by throwing all of her weight backwards, but when he kicked her in the back of the knees, she stumbled forwards again. Angrily, she hurled herself in all directions and somehow slipped under his arm, twisting at an odd enough angle to loosen his grip. As Jansen yelped in pain, Kensi managed to escape his grasp, but with her hands and feet still tied, she could not run, and she landed hard on her side. She rolled over backwards in an awkward somersault, and from the ground, she aimed a nasty kick at Jansen's stomach. But she couldn't strike hard enough to hurt him, and he easily grabbed her again and pushed her into a tiny, dark, windowless room, roughly throwing her on the floor.

"Sorry this isn't more romantic," he apologized.

Kensi closed her eyes as she hit the concrete, trying to catch her breath, her bruised and battered body finally giving out.

With an evil laugh deep in his throat, Jansen raised his gun and cocked the trigger. "Good-bye, sweetheart—"

He suddenly choked on his words as a strong arm wrapped around his throat and violently yanked him backwards. He coughed against the heavy pressure on his windpipe and let out a strangled cry as his attacker tried to knock his weapon from his hand. Almost as a reflex, Jansen's finger closed on the trigger, and the bullet fired upwards instead, striking a pipe in the ceiling. There was a loud cracking noise as the pipe split along its entire length, a fine spray of toxic gas leaking out into the room.

Jansen roared and backed up into the wall, smashing Callen against it. The grip on his throat loosened slightly, and Jansen lunged forwards, escaping the chokehold.

A split second later, Callen tackled him to the ground. Jansen rolled over, crushing Callen beneath him and scrambling for his weapon. But Callen quickly swept his leg under Jansen's feet, and he fell heavily on his side. He winced as Callen's fist pounded heavily into his jaw, and with an angry burst of strength, Jansen flipped Callen over his head, slamming him on his back.

Now that their positions were reversed, Jansen hauled Callen to his feet, his arms wrapped around the other man's throat, both of them crashing backwards into the door. The door closed with a loud bang, neither one of them hearing the sound of the lock snapping into place.

Callen dug his elbow sharply into Jansen's chest, spinning around and landing a swift punch to his stomach, sending Jansen sprawling backwards with a sickening thud as his head hit the floor.

As Jansen lay still, completely stunned from the blow, Callen rushed to Kensi's side.

The gas was furiously hissing and spitting from the pipes, with hot black smoke pouring into the room. Callen could barely see to undo the ropes that bound her. His fingers fumbled with the knots, his eyes tearing and stinging, as he quickly wiped the sweat from his face. Kensi was coughing and gasping for air, and she was already covered in a heavy mist of poisonous gas. Her lungs were on fire, and she could barely move. She vaguely registered Callen's arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her to her feet.

Supporting Kensi against his shoulder, Callen blindly felt his way to the door and twisted the doorknob. But the door would not budge. He frantically clicked the lock back and forth, but the bolt was completely jammed. Callen smashed his foot into the door, trying to break it down, but he was coughing now, too, and he could feel his strength rapidly failing him. In frustration, he threw his entire weight against the door, and it still stubbornly refused to open.

As he felt the sweat trickling down his face, Callen knew time was running out. The gas was greedily consuming everything in its path, rising in temperature and becoming extremely unstable. It only took a single spark, bouncing off the wall, to ignite the ceiling beams into flames and trigger an entire cascade of explosions.

As another pipe shattered above them, both Callen and Kensi were thrown to the ground by a powerful blast of steam. The walls were quaking, the floor was rumbling beneath them, and the concrete foundation was starting to crack under the pressure. Stifling a cry of pain as a burning ember scorched his skin, Callen rolled over, shielding Kensi's body from the dust and debris crashing down from the ceiling.

"Sam!" Callen could barely hear his own voice over the hissing of the broken pipes.

"On my way, G."

But Callen didn't hear his partner's response. He felt Kensi go limp against his chest, slipping from his arms and sinking onto the floor.

"Can't…breathe," she whispered hoarsely.

"Kensi?"

There was no response. Her eyes were closed, and her face was pale.

Quickly, Callen parted her lips and placed his mouth on hers. He pushed a strong breath of air into her lungs, a cold panic gripping his heart when she didn't respond.

"Come on, Kenz."

He breathed into her mouth again, ignoring the painful tightness in his chest as he also started gasping for air. His lungs were burning as he inhaled the toxic gas instead of clean oxygen. The heat in the room was almost unbearable, and his eyelids were growing heavy. Suddenly overwhelmed by a violent dizziness in his head, Callen sank down on the floor next to Kensi, bordering on the edge of unconsciousness.

"Kenz," he whispered weakly. He was just barely able to pull her towards him and touch his lips to hers. With a soft kiss, he gave Kensi the last breath he had, and then he closed his eyes...

Kensi coughed and sputtered and suddenly awoke with a start. "Callen?"

She could feel him by her side. But she couldn't see through the black, smoky air, and when she gently touched his shoulder, he didn't move. He lay completely motionless on the ground next to her.

"Callen?"

Kensi heard the footsteps approaching from behind. Her eyes were tearing from the gas, blurring her vision, and she wiped her eyes and blinked, desperately trying to see clearly. She pulled Callen's gun from its holster on his side and held it close against her chest. She could feel her heart pounding against the metal and an icy chill creeping up her spine as Jansen advanced closer, stumbling slightly...and then raising his gun to put a bullet through both of them.

At the last moment, with all of the strength she had left, Kensi flipped herself over and embedded a fatal round of bullets into Stephen Jansen's chest.

She was fast, and she was accurate. As the serial killer crumpled to the floor, meeting his own death with a cry of agony, his body was enveloped in a thick cloud of smoke, and his screams were drowned out by the collapsing building.

Kensi couldn't breathe. She closed her eyes, faint from fatigue, injury, and lack of oxygen. The gun fell from her fingers, and her head dropped against Callen's chest, both of them sound asleep, entangled in each other's arms.

Three seconds later, Sam smashed in the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks so much for reading and reviewing the last chapter! I'm really glad you liked it. And now for a much shorter and much calmer chapter. Hope you like this one, too. Only one more chapter to go after this. Thanks again!**

**

* * *

**

-VIII-

Sam sat by the hospital bed, a tired, worried expression on his face. He had been sitting there for what seemed like days and yet had only been a few hours.

He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he looked over at Hetty solemnly. "No change," he reported. "Won't wake up...not breathing on his own either."

Hetty sighed.

They both looked over at the sleeping man who lay still in the hospital bed. He was attached to an IV with a myriad of tubes and wires running through his nose and mouth and along his chest, sending oxygen to his lungs and monitoring his vitals.

"It's like he doesn't want to wake up," Sam said. "He almost looks…peaceful." Sam's face scrunched in confusion. He couldn't remember ever seeing Callen resemble anything peaceful.

"Kensi?" he asked.

"She's awake," Hetty replied. "She's—"

"Right behind you."

Both Sam and Hetty turned around in surprise to see Kensi standing in the doorway.

Hetty gave her a disapproving look.

"I'm fine, Hetty." Slowly, she made her way over to the bed, shuffling in a sort of awkward gait that indicated she might not be quite as fine as she thought. "How is he?" she asked hesitantly.

"Stable," Sam said. "But still unconscious."

Kensi gently eased herself down on the side of the bed. She stared at Callen's motionless form for a long time, and then silently, she threaded her fingers through his. It wasn't until their hands joined that Sam noticed the jelly bracelets around Kensi's wrist. Somehow the bright pieces of plastic had come through the entire ordeal completely unscathed.

_They're priceless, _Sam thought.

"Mr. Hanna," Hetty interjected quietly. "Let's give these two a moment, shall we?"

Sam obediently followed the little lady towards the door but turned back to take one more look. The sight that met his eyes made him smile. Kensi had quietly curled up against Callen in the hospital bed, the swirl of rainbow colors around her wrist almost glowing in the dark.

"G finally found himself a good girl," Sam said with a grin.

Hetty gave Sam an approving nod. "He did, Mr. Hanna," she agreed softly. "He did indeed."

* * *

A few hours later, Kensi woke up, somewhat disoriented. It took her a moment to register that she was sleeping in a hospital bed, and the room was dark and strangely quiet except for the steady beeping of the oxygen machine and the heart monitor.

_Why didn't Sam and Hetty wake me?_, she thought.

She shifted slightly and startled at the sudden chill against her skin. She hadn't realized just how warm and content she had been laying next to Callen, her fingers still wrapped around his. Looking over at his handsome face, she briefly wondered what it would be like to wake up by his side, in his arms, every morning.

With that thought, Kensi felt the heat rush through her body again. She didn't know what it was about him, but she had to admit that she had fallen hard for the man who lay beside her.

Kensi suddenly glanced over at him. She was sure she had seen the slightest movement of his eyelashes. She knew she had seen them blink. But as she watched him closely, he didn't move again, and her small ray of hope vanished.

She sighed as she settled back against the pillows. "Please," she murmured in his ear. "Callen, I need you."

It was just as she started to drift off to sleep again that she heard him.

"Kenz." His voice was soft and hoarse, and he struggled to force her name out of his throat.

"Callen?" she whispered. "Shhhh, don't try to talk."

His eyes were still closed, and she felt his fingers weakly squeeze hers.

"I dreamed about you," he said softly.

"Yeah?" she asked. "Was it a good dream?"

"Yeah."

Kensi smiled and lay her head back down against his shoulder.

"Jansen?" he asked quietly.

"He's dead," Kensi replied. "I shot him."

She swore she could see a faint smile forming on his lips, even in the darkness.

"That's my girl," he whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

**And so we have come to the final chapter. Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing and adding to alerts and favorites! I'm really glad you liked the story. I'm going to take a break from writing now (need to catch up on reading many of the other stories here!), but I'm hoping there will be more Callen/Kensi scenes in the show this season - for more inspiration!**

**And so now I present to you...the ending scene. I hope you like it. Thanks again!**

* * *

-IX-

"The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation would like to confirm that we have fully infiltrated the ring of serial killers responsible for the deaths of eighteen young women around the country. The ringleader, Stephen Jansen, was killed in action, while all other members of his crew were also killed or taken into custody. The FBI was able to secure the scene at an abandoned building in downtown Los Angeles—"

Callen reached for the remote and clicked off the power to the television.

"Can't take it anymore, can you?" Kensi asked teasingly. "Watch them steal all our credit?"

Callen shrugged. "It was their case, Kenz…that's why we agreed to this."

"I thought it was so you wouldn't have to do the press conference."

"That, too."

Kensi grinned. She and Callen were sitting on her couch, watching FBI Special Agent David Franklin give the world a slightly modified version of how his agency had finally taken down a ring of serial killers.

Callen still wasn't particularly thrilled about handing this case over to the FBI, but he finally decided that maybe it didn't matter anymore. In the end, he had retrieved what they had taken. And right now she was home by his side, reclining against the cushions, her head resting against his shoulder...alive.

"I knew you were there," he heard her say quietly.

Callen turned and gave her an innocent look.

"On the beach that day."

"I wasn't—"

He started to protest, but she quickly put a finger to his lips to silence him. "Thank you," she whispered. "For watching my back. And for saving my life," she added softly.

She leaned over and gave him a light kiss, and Callen didn't protest again when she moved closer to deepen it. When they broke apart, the two of them remained frozen for a moment, completely lost in each other's eyes. Callen gently ran a finger alongside her cheek, his gaze dropping to her lips. And then Kensi felt his mouth descend on hers again...

* * *

As the bedroom door closed behind them, Callen and Kensi collapsed on her bed, locked in a passionate kiss. The sparks of electricity exploded between them, and their fingers worked furiously on the buttons on each other's shirts, both of them breathing faster in anticipation...both of them about to lose all control.

As their clothes fell to the floor and their bodies tangled between the sheets, Callen marveled at the sensation of his bare skin against hers. He gently pushed her back against the pillows, running his fingers through her hair and trailing a line of hot kisses down her neck.

Kensi closed her eyes and her breath caught as his lips grazed the sensitive hollow of her throat. The feel of his roughly shaven jaw brushing against her skin was driving her wild, and the way his hands tenderly caressed her curves made her entire body flush with desire for him. Sighing contentedly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close and hungrily seeking his lips for another steamy kiss.

Callen suddenly pulled back, brushing a silky lock of hair away from her face and resting his forehead against hers. "Please tell me you won't ever join the FBI again," he whispered breathlessly.

Kensi gave him a sly smile. "Once was enough."

No more words were needed after that. Kensi couldn't even speak as Callen captured her lips again in a deep, intoxicating kiss that sent tingles down her spine. She could barely breathe as his hands moved over her hips, slowly guiding his body inside of hers, discovering the most intimate way they fit together. As waves of intense pleasure swept over both of them, Callen could feel his heart pounding against his chest, beating in time with Kensi's.

It was in the heat of that moment that Callen knew he wanted her. He wanted to lose himself to her every night…and wake up next to her in the morning. He wanted to claim her as his own.

Because at some point in time – that he could no longer identify – Callen realized that Kensi had become so much more than our girl.

She had taken possession of his heart.

_And she had become his_.


End file.
